Follow Us

Follow us on Twitter  Follow us on LinkedIn
 

11 February 2020

Financial Times: Germany and Europe need a revitalised CDU


Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer’s decision to stand down as leader of Germany’s CDU after just 14 months has reopened a tussle over the party’s future direction, just at the moment when the fraying international order leaves Europe crying out for strong leadership.

Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer deserves credit for choosing to step aside. Her time as CDU leader showed the former Saarland premier to be out of her depth. [...]

Even after Ms Merkel promoted her to a cabinet role as defence minister last July, she failed to stamp her authority over party grandees or its regional branches. Last week’s crisis in Thuringia, where CDU politicians ignored longstanding taboos and voted with the hard-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, to elect a little-known politician as state premier, was the final straw.

Yet it is no coincidence that the storm that swept the CDU leader away blew in from the east. The AfD has rapidly become a fixture on eastern Germany’s political landscape, challenging for top spot in some states. Its success testifies to still unresolved tensions between west and east since Germany’s reunification 30 years ago. At the same time it has attracted more moderate right-leaning voters who feel Ms Merkel’s determined centrism has left them politically homeless. The AfD has both contributed to and benefited from the fragmentation of German politics, from essentially three parties until the 1980s to six in the Bundestag today.

The CDU is now set for a renewed tussle over its future between those who favour continuing along the Merkel path, and those pushing to embrace a more robust conservatism. It faces, in essence, a rerun of the 2018 leadership contest that pitted Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer, as continuity candidate, against two conservatives: Friedrich Merz, former leader of the CDU parliamentary group, and Jens Spahn, health minister. They may face off this time against Armin Laschet, prime minister of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The debate over whether the CDU should tilt rightward to broaden its appeal is necessary. But going too far would risk straining party unity even further, and driving away the Greens, potential coalition partners after next year’s polls. German elections are traditionally won on the centre ground. Most importantly, the CDU must reaffirm its refusal to do any kind of deals with the AfD. Pacts with extremists are deplorable in any European democracy, but especially so in Germany.

There are broader risks in a prolonged period of German political introspection. The multilateral system has been destabilised by Donald Trump in the US and Brexit in the UK, and the advance of populist nationalism not just in newer EU members in the ex-communist east but in several older, western member states. France’s energetic president Emmanuel Macron might relish the chance to steal the spotlight, but without a heavyweight partner in Berlin he will struggle to achieve much of substance. For the CDU to emerge from its soul-searching revitalised and with a worthy successor to Ms Merkel in place is vital not just for Germany, but for all of Europe.

Full article on Financial Times (subscription required)

Related article on Financial Times: Merkel’s heir departs and reveals deep problems in German politics



© Financial Times


< Next Previous >
Key
 Hover over the blue highlighted text to view the acronym meaning
Hover over these icons for more information



Add new comment